Do you have a stable view of your own intelligence?

[firemonkey]

I have swung over time from thinking I am really stupid and inferior to outlandish thoughts such as " I knew all that before I was 8"/"I thought everyone knew that-duh!", putting down "experts" appearing on tv, and wondering why so many other people are so stupid, and back again. I don't think I have a level headed opinion as to my intelligence a lot of the time . It is either grossly deflated or inflated.

[Progress]

Do you have a stable view of your own intelligence?

Probably not.

I can swing from perhaps slight arrogance about it, to thinking I'm useless.

I think the problem is I do too much comparing which is never good. I'd like to be able to just think 'I am what I am' without trying to give it some kind of 'rating'. I think that's the ideal.

[Merritt]

I've always felt I was stupid and incompetent, even from a very young age. Starting primary school: 'Everyone's going to be so clever!' Starting secondary school: 'OK, I got through Year 3-6, but this time everyone's really going to be clever!' Starting college: 'OK, I did well at school, got good GCSEs and all that, but this time I'm really out of my depth.' And then I dropped out, at least partly because I didn't feel smart enough for any of the courses.

Any evidence for being half-way intelligent always gets shouted down in my head with, 'All right, you arrogant tosser, but what about all this stuff you don't know much about? Yeah, not feeling so big now, are you.'

I'm really bad at taking compliments because if anyone says I'm well spoken or smart or whatever, I feel like that paper-thin facade will tear under the pressure and show how precarious it all is, and that I really don't know much about anything.

[Coffee]

Personally I think people with anxiety often have it in the first place because they are brighter than average, see more in life than others do, are more self aware, and have often paid the price specifically for being different in that way.

[Metal Goat]

I think I'm stupid. Any other thoughts to the contrary are just wishful thinking. If I ever laugh at anyone else's stupidity it's overcompensation and insecurity.

I especially feel it with the in laws since my husband is very intelligent, knows ridiculous amounts about things like politics, history, geography etc and had an iq like Einstein even as a child.

My husband himself thinks he's very stupid, that iq means nothing and feels he is generally below average but his parents do not.

His dad in particular clearly values intelligence a lot. Both parents are always going on about how gifted and above average he has always been. They act like the world owes him something and he is entitled to more than others because of his intelligence. It makes him uncomfortable and I can see why, especially when they say that stuff in front of other people.

My husband left school at the beginning of year ten and as such didnt sit any gcses or get any qualifications at all. I understand that they are probably just trying to keep up his self esteem in light of that but it can sometimes be quite alienating and I do regularly feel on a different level completely to them.

[Bambos]

Not too stable. Growing up I always thought I was a bit ahead of the 'curve' and could do alright without trying all that hard. As the years have gone by I feel I've fallen way behind by not challenging or bettering myself in any way, I imagine bits of my brain falling away like wet cake through lack of use.

[anxiouslondoner]

I am clever in some ways but a complete idiot in others. There's no single measure of intelligence really. Also the people who think they are really clever are often just too stupid to realise how stupid they are, so there's hope for anyone who is bright enough to know that they don't know everything.

[umm]

I feel the same unstable way. It seems to have a similar flavour to the highly variable self images of borderline personality disorder.

[Indigo_]

It varies, depending on context I suppose. Growing up with SA, all I had going for me was my brain. I promptly have qualifications pouring out of my earholes. I've done very well at work, and I know I'm valued, but I feel like an imposter in comparison to my colleagues. I regularly feel as if I'm just 'winging in' and don't really know anything. Anxiety and insecurities combined I suppose.

[Cairn]

My predicament suggests I'm thick as pig shit.

I think I have average intelligence and bellow average common sense.